Silk Fibroin Optofluidics

Abstract

The ancient silk fibre finds new application as a bio-chemically functional optofluidic material. We demonstrate a silk protein diffraction grating doped with human haemoglobin. The haemoglobin remains chemically active within the grating and responds spectrally to ambient gas concentration. The grating performs a dual role of providing spectral analysis and a bio-chemical substrate in one component.